Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil on Monday broke the silence and said that many leaders higher in rank are quite upset against the Congress leadership as they are feeling neglected. Vikhe Patil, who is not visible in actively campaigning for the party, has expressed serious displeasure on the party’s functioning and appealed to the high command to take corrective steps to avoid party’s debacle in the state assembly election slated for September-October this year.
Vikhe-Patil, who explained at length on Congress party’s poor state of affairs to a web portal, told DNA, “I have put up my argument in my communication to the high command. They have to take a call. However, I strongly feel that Congress party’s identity should remain intact while taking any decision with regard to alliance.’’ He did not hide his displeasure at his party’s decision to strike alliance with Sharad Pawar led Nationalist Congress Party. He complained that he failed to see senior party leaders striving to strengthen the Congress party in the state.
Vikhe Patil said that the Congress party suffered humiliating defeats in Lok Sabha and assembly elections held in 2014 as those who were given responsibility to lead were incapable of doing so. He reiterated that the party will have to do a major surgery to avoid its drubbing in the forthcoming assembly election.
Vikhe Patil, received flak within the party after his son Sujay joined BJP and got its candidature from Ahmednagar seat, said that his resignation would not help address issues faced by the party. He blamed a section of party leaders for initiating discussion over his joining the BJP.
He clarified that he was not upset but would fulfill responsibility bestowed on me by the Congress party.